‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 1917).’ [‎224r] (452/556)

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No. 954, dated 20th idem, copy enclosed, and I now have the honour to
confirm my telegram No. 1 of 29th instant, copy enclosed. (These enclosures
are marked No. 1.)
I am sorry it took me so long to frame my reply but all the matters here
were entirely new to me and it was necessary that I should get acquainted
in some measure with them before I could undertake to reply to your enquiries,
further the heavy and continuous rainfall ever since my arrival some 34 inches
from 22nd to 29th instsnt, inclusive, has made it difficult to get about and
inspect for myself,
I trust my telegram may have safely reached you as sent, I am afraid
it was somewdiat lengthy, hut 1 was anxious to reply to all your enquiries as
explicitly as possible.
The first part of your telegram refers specifically to the dissatisfaction
with the work at Easrah and goes on to assume that the apparent excess
tonnage employed on the Basrah line is perhaps connected with the 1 work in
Basrah.
As to how the work is carried on at Basrah, I am of course at present
unable to express an opinion, but I will deal with this to the best of my ability
after visiting that Port, but I trust that when it is realized that the actual
cargoes carried by the steamers and the actual work done at the two termini are
between two and four times greater than the returns show, it may be deemed
to put a somewhat different complexion upon things as a whole.
Taking the example of the “ Suhedar ” last voyage, {i.e., left Bombay 8th
August) quoted in my telegram the return as sent you showed that she carried
1,958 tons of 20 cwt., whereas in ordinary usage this cargo would be deemed to
be a tonnage of 8,459 tons taking weight and measurement together or roughly
four times as much as reported to you.
Similarly the number of tons requisitioned to be shipped next month
from Bombay and Karachi to Basrah has been returned to you as 92,000 tons
of 20 cwt. but this actually represents 202,762 shipping tons as ordinarily
understood, at 20 cw T t. or 40 cubic feet whichever is largest, or approxi
mately double the tonnage reported.
The disparity between the case of the “ Subedar ” which gives the actual
tonnage at four times the tonnage reported as against the intended shipments
m September which shew double the tonnage to be shipped as compared
with the tonnage on a 20 cwt. basis is entirely due to the assortment of cargo
shipped by “ Subedar ” and the assortment of the cargo to be shipped in
September. In the case of the “ Subedar ” it means that there was a greater
pioportion of big measurement cargo whereas in the statement of cargo to be
shijiped in. September the measurement cargo though still much in excess of
the deadweight more nearly approaches to it. Strictly speaking the 21,000
tons coal included in the September shipments should be excluded from the
tonnage when comparing with the “ Subedar ” for this goes in separate
bottoms.
. The best possible assortment of cargoes imaginable in the case of any
individual ship is an assortment that fills the ship to the hatches that enables
her to carry a full deck load and yet puts her down to her marks. In the case
of Basrah, the draft available is a restricted draft, i.e., 18' 6" neaps or 19' 6"
spring tides or allowing for the ship lightening as the result of consumption
of coal, etc., on th.e voyage less, therefore in the case of Basrah the cargo
must be an essentially light one to make full use of all the cubic space in the
ship. In the case of the ” Subedar ” she was not quite down to her marks
owing to a small deficiency in even the small quantity of deadweight required
for the greatest efficiency. In other words she would have shown a slightly
better result had say 3 to 400 tons of rails been available for shipment by
her, but these rails or similar deadweight did not happen to be available. I
enclose copies of two statements kindly supplied to me by the Director, Boyal
Indian Marine (Enclosure No. 2), the one showing the measurement of the
cargo by the “Subedar” and the other the cargo to go forward in September
from Bombay and Karachi.
The example of the “ Suhedar ” w 7 as not specially selected because it was
better than other steamers, though it does not show up excellently, still there
are others that give even better results but the selection was made chiefly
because photographs happened to have been taken of the ship before depar
ture and these photographs as they may be of interest I forward to you herewith.